Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday restored the October-November academic session in Kashmir.
The decision to restore the winter session (November-December) was unanimously cleared in the second cabinet meeting led by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the civil secretariat here.
Following the decision, Minister for Education Sakeena Itoo told ETV Bharat that this move was taken "in the interests of students." She added that the session has been restored up to class 9, while for the remaining classes, the session would be changed from next year.
"Students till class 12 will be appearing in exams in March this year," Itoo said. She claimed that students from Kashmir were facing difficulties, and the March session wasted their time.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha-led administration had shifted the academic session to the March session in 2022, citing a 'uniform academic calendar' for both winter and summer zones as the reason for the decision.
However, with schools shut for three months in winter in Kashmir due to acute cold and snow, parents and experts were averse to it. They argued that the October-November session suits the Kashmir region’s weather conditions and gave ample time for students to prepare for competitive exams during the winter months.
With the new government assuming the charge, this is the first decision reversing the LG’s orders of the last five years.
President of Private Schools Association Jammu and Kashmir G N Var said the decision has sent out a clear message that the government is aware of the public demand and wants to ease their problems.
"This is the first order reversing the previous administration’s decision. We expect all those orders which are against public interest and have been taken due to narrow considerations be revoked," he added.
In the Valley, many students and parents hailed the decision to revert to the old academic calendar saying it would bring relief to the student community.
"It is a great step," said Qurat-Ul-Ain, a parent of two in Srinagar’s Nowgam. She said the old academic session was not favourable to the March-April session and would overburden students.
